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2013 College football countdown | No. 125: Georgia State

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports
4:59 p.m. EDT April 29, 2014

USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg counts down to the start of the college football season team by team from No. 125 to No. 1.

Indiana State head coach Trent Miles watches his team during NCAA college football practice, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, in Terre Haute, Ind. Indiana State is scheduled to play Western Illinois Saturday. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Star, Jim Avelis) ORG XMIT: INTET103(Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

Story Highlights

Georgia State comes in at No. 125 in a countdown of all 125 FBS teams

The Panthers will play in the FBS after spending the last three seasons as a member of the FCS

New coach Trent Miles comes over after completing a miraculous rebuilding job at Indiana State

The first recognizable football name associated with Georgia State's nascent football program was ex-Broncos, Giants and Falcons coach Dan Reeves, who joined the fold as a consultant in April 2007, saying he was too "intrigued by the opportunity" to turn it down.

The school's first full-time coach was ex-Alabama, Georgia Tech and Kentucky coach Bill Curry, who was hired on June 12, 2008, and led the Panthers through three seasons before retiring last November.

The first scholarship player on Georgia State's roster was Mark Hogan, a 5'11, 190-pound wide receiver out of Massachusetts – yes, Massachusetts – who chose GSU in early 2009 due to family ties: His father, also named Mark, played for Curry at Georgia Tech. Hogan eventually made his mark as a linebacker.

Georgia State's first game doubled as its first win: Panthers 41, Shorter 7, on Sept. 2, 2010. The school's first game against an FBS opponent went about as expected: Alabama 63, GSU 7, on Nov. 18, 2010.

Georgia State's first game as a Football Bowl Subdivision program will take place on Friday, Aug. 30, when the Panthers, now led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, host Samford as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Panthers' first league game will be played on Oct. 12, when they meet longtime Sun Belt power Troy at the Georgia Dome.

Caught up? Three-year-old Georgia State's football history is short, sweet and to the point – and has much left to be written.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION

Not applicable. Georgia State was a member of the Football Championship Subdivision in 2012, meaning it was the only one of 125 FBS schools to not get the preview treatment a summer ago.

2012 RECAP

—In a nutshell: Let's consider Georgia State's 2012 season from two sides. On one hand, this program was entering only its third year of existence – with such youth come slip-ups, and the Panthers' 2012 campaign had its fair share. On the other hand, GSU's 1-10 finish failed to exhibit the sort of progress one might have expected from Curry's final season, especially after the Panthers won six games in 2010 (before sliding down to three wins in 2011). The worst news? GSU was mauled by its lone FBS power, losing 51-13 at Tennessee on Sept. 8; lost to Texas-San Antonio, a team in its first year in the WAC; lost to James Madison and Old Dominion, one school already primed for an FBS leap and another considering a move; and was outscored by an average of 22.2 points per game.

—High point: A 41-7 win over Rhode Island on Oct. 13. This was preceded by six losses and followed by another four, creating a very flimsy one-win sandwich.

—Low point: The worst losses were to those who currently or will soon occupy Georgia State's stratosphere: UTSA, James Madison and Old Dominion. The loss to JMU came by a touchdown; the other pair came by a combined 50 points.

—Tidbit: Georgia State's career record after three seasons of football stands at 10-23, with more than half of those wins coming in the Panthers' 6-5 debut in 2010. Do most programs stumble coming out of the starting gate? More struggle than don't, at least. Looking back at two recent examples: Florida Atlantic went 20-6 from 2003-4 before joining the Sun Belt; Florida International went 5-17 over the same span. I suppose Georgia State can take some solace in the fact it took Notre Dame six seasons (1887-89, 1892-94) to win 10 games. (Of course, it also took the Fighting Irish 16 seasons to lose 23 games.)

—Tidbit (FBS edition): Georgia State has played seven games over the last three seasons against teams currently in the FBS. (That total moves to nine if we include Old Dominion, which is reclassifying into the FBS over the next two seasons.) The Panthers are 1-6 in these games, as you might expect, with the lone win a 27-20 decision over South Alabama in 2011. The Panthers' average final score against FBS competition is an ugly 284-109, with no one loss uglier than a 56-0 defeat to Houston on Sept. 24, 2011. That one could have been much, much worse.

—Trent Miles (Indiana State '87), entering his first season. Looking for a coach well-versed in making something out of nothing? Then you've come to the right place, Georgia State. Miles built a name for himself as one of the nation's premier rebuilding artists over five seasons at Indiana State, his alma mater, which he turned from one of the nation's weakest programs – regardless of level of play – into an FCS contender.

To paint a picture of what Miles inherited in 2008, when he replaced Lou West: Indiana State had won only a single game over the previous three seasons, with an 0-11 finish in 2007 – the Sycamores were outscored by 418 points over 11 games – quite possibly one of the worst seasons by any FCS team over the last two decades. Miles' debut would be nearly as painful, as ISU managed to score only 200 combined points in going 1-22 from 2008-9. The light turned on in 2010, a 6-5 finish, and continued as ISU won 13 games over Miles' last two seasons. My basic description simply doesn't do this justice: Miles' work with the Sycamores was and still is hard to believe.

He made his bones on the FCS level, but Miles worked as an assistant at several elite FBS programs before getting his chance at Indiana State in 2008. He coaches the wide receivers at Northern Illinois (1991-94), Hawaii (1995-96) and Fresno State (1997-99) before spending the 2000 season as an offensive assistant with the Green Bay Packers. Miles returned to the FBS in 2001 as the receivers coach at Stanford, followed Ty Willingham to Notre Dame in the same position (2002-4) and then spent three seasons coaching the running backs at Washington (2005-7) before returning to his alma mater.

The bottom line: Georgia State grabbed a fast-rising coach with the perfect background at just the right time. Success won't come overnight – let's give him a fortnight to be safe – but Miles was a wonderful hire.

—Tidbit (coaching edition): Four members of Miles' staff at Indiana State came along for the ride to Georgia State. One is defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who held the same position at ISU from 2011-12. The others: Harold Etheridge will coach the offensive line after serving as Miles' offensive coordinator from 2011-12; Miles' longtime defensive line coach, Shannon Jackson, assumes the same position; and P.J. Volker will serve as the linebackers coach after doing the same under Miles over the last three years.

The most noteworthy new addition is offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, the former Boston College coach who worked alongside Miles with the Packers in 2000. (Jagodzinski spent 2012 as a volunteer coach at Ave Maria University in Florida.) Another hire to watch is quarterbacks coach Luke Huard – of the quarterback-playing Huards – the former offensive coordinator at Illinois State. Former UNLV defensive coordinator J.D. Williams will take on the secondary, and he'll have his hands full.

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125: Georgia State - Georgia State joins the Sun Belt Conference as the newest member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team is led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, who knows a thing or two about massive rebuilding projects, but the Panthers are several years away from competing for bowl eligibility.
Jim Avelis, AP

124: Massachusetts - After going 1-11 in 2012, its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, UMass enters year two under Charley Molnar with little hope of any major improvement against another difficult schedule. The Minutemen are just a hair behind Akron for last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports

123: Idaho - After being part of the since-disintegrated Western Athletic Conference, the Vandals will spend one season as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. It won’t be pretty: Idaho will play Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Mississippi and Florida State, among others.
Kyle Mills, AP

122: South Alabama - The Jaguars went 2-11 as first-year members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2012, and that record won’t improve dramatically unless the offense fixes the missteps that defined last season. While coach Joey Jones has assembled some talent, South Alabama is still too inexperienced to be a real threat for more than three or four wins.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

121: New Mexico State. Previous coach DeWayne Walker left on his own accord after compiling a 10-40 record from 2009-2012, taking an assistant position with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 24, less than two weeks before national signing day. Walker's replacement, Doug Martin, has two things Walker did not when he took over late in 2008: FBS coaching experience (seven seasons at Kent State) and experience in Las Cruces (2011 as the Aggies' offensive coordinator).
Jim Avelis, AP

120: Akron - The Zips proved they could move the football last season, the program’s first under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, but having a stronger offense didn’t prevent Akron from going 0-11 against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition. A year later, Akron remains far too undermanned to make any waves in the Mid-American Conference.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

119: Texas at San Antonio - The youngest program in college football, UTSA quickly moved from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA. The issue with such rapid growth is that it will force the Roadrunners to play beyond their years, and this team seems too inexperienced to handle the increased level of competition found in Conference USA.
Eric Gay, Associated Press

118: Florida International - After spending several years building to the point where it could reach back-to-back bowl games, as Florida International did from 2010-11, FIU is back to square one under new coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers are entering the first stage of what should be a long and painful rebuilding project.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

117: Eastern Michigan - Eastern Michigan is again out to prove its 6-6 finish in 2011 – the program’s lone six-win season since 1995 – was not a fluke. That seemed to be the case last fall, when the Eagles stumbled back to 2-10, the program’s third 10-loss season in four tries under coach Ron English. Confidence is not high in Ypsilanti.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

116: Memphis - The Tigers made some strides last season, winning four games under coach Justin Fuente, but will be tested by the tougher level of competition in the American Athletic Conference. While the program has clearly improved, 2013 should again find Memphis at the bottom of the conference standings.
Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

115: Colorado - It can only get better than it was a year ago, if only because things couldn’t possibly get worse. Colorado begins a new era under former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre with full knowledge of the difficult road that lies ahead. At the very least, CU knows it is now pointed in the right direction.
David Zalubowski, AP

114: UNLV. It's been 13 years since UNLV posted a winning season. The program is mired in a stretch of five seasons of 10 or more losses in the past seven years, with the last three coming under coach Bobby Hauck.
Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports

113: North Texas leaves the Sun Belt Conference to join Conference USA in 2013. Will a change in scenery lead to a change in the standings? The Mean Green have been better under coach Dan McCarney, winning nine games over the last two seasons, but this team won’t go anywhere unless it can find some much-needed explosiveness on offense.
Scott Sewell, USA TODAY Sports

112: After nine seasons under Mike Price, UTEP welcomes back former assistant Sean Kugler as its new coach in 2013. Kugler has some weapons to work with, including a high-profile addition in Texas A,M transfer Jameill Showers at quarterback, but it will take time for him to reverse UTEP’s losing ways.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

111: Florida Atlantic -- The team's quest to bolster its fundraising coffers by offering up the naming rights to its new stadium hit a snag after the university student body and surrounding community quickly soured on a deal with GEO Group, a for-profit prison operator with a history of fines, investigations and violations.
Photo courtesy of Florida Atlantic University

110: Illinois -- Bruised and battered Illinois lacks confidence, as one might expect after the Illini won only a single game against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition during the program's first season under former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Illinois also lacks an offense, a defense and an identity.
Rudy Gutierrez, AP

108: New Mexico -- Four wins is cause for celebration at New Mexico, which went 3-33 from 2009-11 but finished 4-9 in 2012, its first season under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. The Lobos may be stuck in neutral while Davie and his staff add talent and depth to a depleted roster, likely leading to another season with four or fewer wins, but the program has found a run-first formula to hang with stronger opponents during Mountain West Conference play.
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107: Colorado State -- This team enters year two of its rebuilding process under coach Jim McElwain, who learned a thing or two about building a winner as the former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. The Rams’ issues in 2013 circle around an offense that remains in flux while it acclimates itself into McElwain’s pro-style scheme. A tough schedule will send CSU to another losing season.
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106: Army. Army exceeded expectations once, in 2010, creating both a remarkably pleasing individual season while increasing the belief that the Cadets and coach Rich Ellerson could do so again. Unfortunately, Army has since slid back to successive losing seasons, with last year ending in a nightmare: Trailing by four points with little more than a minute left, the Cadets fumbled the ball away deep inside Navy territory to again lose to their academy rival.
Jim Avelis, AP

105: Hawaii -- Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has painfully reworked Hawaii’s offense away from a pass-happy system into his pro-style scheme. Results thus far have been decidedly mixed. For now, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to lean on a defense with some speed and talent on the edge while the offense finds its form with a new starting quarterback, junior Taylor Graham. Hawaii is at least one full season away from competing for a bowl bid.
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104: Texas State -- The Bobcats won four games last fall, the program’s first as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. This season finds Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference, an offensively prolific league that will test one of the nation’s worst defenses. But the Bobcats are very hopeful that FBS transfers like D.J. Yendrey and Mike Orakpo can give this defense some much-needed experience, production and aggressiveness.
L. Scott Mann AP

103: Miami (Ohio) -- Miami has lost at least eight games in four of the last seasons and has been outscored in each of the last seven seasons, two facts that illustrate the RedHawks’ current rut. Will things change in 2013? Third-year coach Don Treadwell’s group faces holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so the defense will need to carry the load against a fairly easy schedule should Miami look to reach the postseason.
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102: Central Michigan -- The Chippewas reached a bowl game last season by beating the bad teams on the schedule. Despite winning seven games, the gap between Central Michigan and MAC frontrunners like Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State remained immense. In terms of personnel, CMU needs to replace a multiple-year starter at quarterback and left tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
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101: Kentucky -- Welcome to the new era of Kentucky football, revel in this new-car smell, because things have changed: Mark Stoops, the former defensive coordinator at Florida State, has altered the very way Kentucky views itself in the SEC pecking order. Not to mention Kentucky's own pecking order: The basketball team struggled this year, so there might be a power void at the top. Kentucky drew 50,831 fans to its spring game, or more than the Wildcats drew for any two home games from October on, judging by the pictures. Kentucky has reeled in more four-star recruits since December than at any point over the previous decade – combined, or just about.
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100: Boston College -- The Eagles have sat and watched as their consistency, a hallmark of the program for the first decade of the new millennium, has crumbled to become nonexistent. New Boston College coach Steve Addazio's first task will be remaking the Eagles' broken sense of self-worth. If not the easiest first step, at least Addazio can tackle the task without worrying about teams like USC, Florida State and Clemson, three of Boston College's opponents over the first half of 2013. Wins and losses matter less than player development.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

99: SMU -- Last year's team was better than its 7-6 record might indicate, particularly in terms of personnel. The Mustangs had a five-star transfer from Texas at quarterback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield, a 1,000-yard receiver, a strong defensive line, an outstanding linebacker corps and a ball-hawking secondary. Yet the Mustangs still failed to beat any opponent of consequence outside of Tulsa, going 1-5 during the regular season against eventual bowl teams.
Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports

98: Western Michigan -- To properly understand where P.J. Fleck is coming from you need to sit down and watch him explain his new team's Nekton Mentality, Prefontaine Pace and Farmers' Alliance. These are things, real things, and to Fleck, they are what will separate Western Michigan from the rest of the MAC – actually, according to Fleck, they will ultimately separate the Broncos from the rest of college football.
Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

97: Troy -- Once a Sun Belt Conference power, Troy has ceded the top spot to conference rivals like Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette over the last two seasons. Getting back to the postseason might be difficult: Troy returns only seven starters, the second-fewest of any team in the country, and lacks depth on each side of the ball.
Jim Brown, US Presswire

96: Kansas -- The opening season in the Charlie Weis era at Kansas went poorly, with a 1-11 mark and a last-place finish in the Big 12. The five-year plan enters year two now: will it be baby steps, befitting Kansas' recent run as the nation's worst automatic-qualifying program, or will the Jayhawks break through the ceiling and challenge for a bowl berth in the brutal Big 12?
Mike DiNovo, US Presswire

95: California -- Jeff Tedford, who coached California for the previous 11 seasons, is gone. In his place, former Louisiana coach Sonny Dykes is the latest offensive innovator to take the reins of a Pac-12 program since 2009. What does this say about California, Dykes and the North? It says that offense is in vogue throughout the division, helping present the Pac-12 as the flip-side to the SEC's defense-first mentality.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

94: Rice -- Rice rode an explosive offense to a bowl game in 2012, defeating the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl. Can that explosive attack continue to help cover up a woeful defense (Rice has now allowed at least 48 points in a game 35 times since the start of the 2000 season) not only for this campaign, but beyond?
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

No. 93: Washington State -- In their second year under coach Mike Leach, can the Cougars reverse their string of losing at least eight games in the last five seasons? Only one other Pac-12 school has suffered as many eight-loss seasons in a row: Oregon State lost eight or more games in each season from 1979-87.
Allen Henry, USA TODAY Sports

No. 92: Connecticut -- As always, the Huskies are strong on defense but weak on offense. In the past six seasons, UConn quarterbacks have combined to throw 69 touchdowns against 72 interceptions while averaging 185.67 yards per game. Over the same span, the Huskies' defense has allowed 91 passing touchdowns against 97 interceptions while holding opposing quarterbacks to an average of 218.39 yards per game.
David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports

No. 91: UAB -- The Blazers and second year head coach Garrick McGee are trending up, with young talent on both sides of the ball. However, despite their relatively weak conference, UAB looks to still be a year away from reaching a bowl game.
Marvin Gentry, US Presswire

90: Wyoming -- The Cowboys have won 15 games in the past three years, with most coming in an eight-win finish in 2011. Three have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Three have come against Colorado State – a combined 10-26 since 2010. Of Wyoming's 15 wins since 2010, only three have come against winning teams: Toledo in 2010 and San Diego State and Air Force in 2011. Every other defeated opponent ended the season with seven or more losses. So what is Wyoming going to do when there are no more easy wins – when its MWC schedule is loaded with teams with realistic bowl hopes?
Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE

89: Purdue -- The Boilermakers have a new coach in Darrell Hazell, who won 11 games at Kent State last season with a unique system of steps that he is proud to call his own. In specific, Hazell's blueprint worked for Kent State. But his plan is universal: It'll work everywhere, whether we're talking Kent State, Purdue or Ohio State, should Hazell slide into the Buckeyes' plans at some point in the future. The Boilermakers will win with what they've got and feel good doing so. Just not from the start, perhaps.
Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports

88: Temple -- Temple went back into its past to nab a replacement for Boston College-bound Steve Addazio. It shied away from the years prior to 2006, when Al Golden stepped in and reversed the program's fate, and opted for one of Golden's chief lieutenants in ex-offensive coordinator Matt Rhule. Rhule's return spells a move back to Temple's recent glory days, when the offense was pro-style, the defense aggressive and the team worked as one cohesive unit. Those were good times. Rhule will bring 'em back.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

87: Iowa State -- Never before has Iowa State football had this level of fan support. What's not to like? The fan base admires the work coach Paul Rhoads and his staff have put into creating a consistent Big 12 presence, albeit one that typically sneaks into bowl play with six wins, hovering along the league's bottom third. The typically undermanned Cyclones are overachievers, basically. But here's a question: Once you overachieve once, twice, three times, aren't you simply achieving?
Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports

86: Duke -- Duke is looking to return to bowl play after winning six games in 2012. To do that and reach the postseason, Duke must find consistent play from new quarterback Anthony Boone. Duke will look to a more balanced offense to move the ball against ACC competition.
Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports

85: Kent State -- Led by electric running back Dri Archer, Kent State will try to stay at a high level of achievement after an 11-3 season despite losing their coach to Purdue in the offseason. Prior to last season, Kent State was the lone FBS program with roots in the 20th century with a career winning percentage below .400 – it stood at .388, to be precise. Prior to last season, Kent State had not won more than six games since 1987. Prior to last season, Kent State was mired in a run of 32 non-winning seasons in 34 years. Then, last season, The Flashes came within a whisper of the Bowl Championship Series, believe it or not, and would have been the underdog story to end all underdog stories.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

84: Pittsburgh --Pitt's defense is good enough to carry this team. But to say that the Panthers can win six or more games without a strong offense would be misleading – and this offense has some major holes to address before getting started against Florida State in early September.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

83: Arkansas -- After a disastrous 2012 campaign following the summer departure of Bobby Petrino, the once-proud Razorbacks will try to get back in to bowl contention in the stacked Southeastern Conference. Coach Bret Bielema will bring a taste of the Big Ten to the SEC, turning Arkansas' finesse style into a punishing, physical team worthy of rolling in the mud with perennial powers like Alabama, Florida and LSU.
Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports

82: Southern Mississippi -- After an 0-12 season, the Golden Eagles had no choice but to dismiss their coach and hire former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace him. Like Larry Fedora before him, brings sterling offensive credentials to Hattiesburg. But unlike Johnson, who took over a 12-win team, Monken inherits a winless group struggling to relocate its confidence. USM can take some solace in the fact it can't get any worse.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

81: Syracuse - New coach Scott Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC.
Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports

80: South Florida -- Coming off a 3-9 season, USF hired Willie Taggart as head coach. South Florida is one of five American Athletic Conference holdovers from the old Big East, not counting Temple, which joined the Big East as the league entered its death throes in 2012. Of the five, USF joins Rutgers as the lone programs to have not reached the Bowl Championship Series.
Daniel Wallace, AP

79: Middle Tennessee State --What team shows up in 2013? Perhaps the eight-win squad of 2012, or the 10-win team of 2009, or the bowl team of 2010. Or will it be the 10-loss team of 2011, as disappointing a non-automatically qualifying group in the country?
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

78: Virginia --UVa has plus-talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and all throughout the defense, with the only issue for 2013 being that nearly every meaningful contributor stands a season away from a breakthrough.
Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports

77: Minnesota --Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example.
Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

75: Western Kentucky --There's a blindingly bright future at WKU, even if it's hard to predict just how long Petrino remains with the program before a win-hungry power comes calling. To get to the next level, however, Petrino needs to develop personnel on offense to fit his foolproof system.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

74: Buffalo -- Coach Jeff Quinn has done a great job developing talent, as Buffalo won three of its last four games. The arrow is pointing up for this squad, which could reach a bowl game this year. The running game will continue to go through Branden Oliver (pictured), one of the MAC's best backs.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

73. Indiana - The Hoosiers enter this season a confident group, having won four games under Kevin Wilson last fall. He has developed the team's offense into one of the most potent in the Big Ten. To take the next step, Indiana will need to build more depth on the defensive side.
Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP

72. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are loaded with seniors and several underclassmen set for larger roles. They should challenge for six wins with coach Jim Grobe thanks to a strong offense, which will be more run-based, and increased depth.
Chuck Burton, AP

71. Houston: After 17 seasons with Conference USA, Houston joins the American. It hopes to rejoin the postseason after going 5-7 last season. Dave Piland must step up at quarterback and the defensive-line interior needs to be rebuilt.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

70. San Jose State: The Spartans won the Military Bowl last season, finishing an impressive campaign in which they went 11-2 and earned a national ranking in both polls. Even with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in David Fales (No.1), new coach Ron Caragher and his staff has their hands full fixing the defense.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

69. Iowa: The Hawkeyes look to rebound after going 4-8 a season ago. Coach Kirk Ferentz will have to find a new quarterback to replace replace James Vandenberg. Their postseason hopes will ride on a strong backfield and and offensive line.
Charlie Neibergall, AP

67. Air Force: Are there negative signs? I'd say so. But are they reasons for concern? No, not really. Though Air Force has been trending downward the last two years – 13-13 combined since the start of the 2011 season – the Falcons have, to be fair, lost four games by single digits. It was only two years ago that Air Force scored 454 points, the fourth-highest total in school history – so the offense isn't broken. Likewise, the Falcons' 2011 defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in yards allowed per game. So what happened last season? The Falcons struggled. It happens.
Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports

66. Maryland: The Terps enter Year 3 under Randy Edsall with serious bowl expectations. Maryland will have increased depth and will land markedly improved production at quarterback, with C.J. Brown (pictured) healthy. To ensure six wins, Maryland must address some personnel issues on the defensive side of the ball
Patrick Semansky, AP

65. Louisiana-Monroe: ULM had its first breakthrough as a member of the FBS last season, winning eight games. The Warhawks return 17 starters altogether, with eight on offense (including dual-threat QB Kolton Browning) and nine on defense. ULM is easily one of the top three teams in the Sun Belt Conference and a bowl favorite.
Patrick Semansky, AP

64. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have reached three bowl games in a row under coach Dan Mullen. Last season ended poorly for the Bulldogs, with four losses in five games after a 7-0 start. To rebound, MSU needs to land more consistent quarterback play and replace two cornerbacks
Patrick Semansky, AP

63. Louisiana Tech: After a nine win season that amazingly did not earn them a postseason bid, Louisiana Tech is aiming to keep up their success from last season behind a truly explosive offense. In order to get a BCS bid, which is a possibility if they play their cards right, they must hold serve against weak WAC opponents.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

62. Tennessee: Tennessee was a few first downs, a third-down conversion, a fourth-down stop, a two-point conversion and an errant pass away from reaching bowl eligibility last fall, the program's third year under ex-coach Derek Dooley. But now Dooley is gone after he failed to make a Bowl game, and in his stead is hot new coach Butch Jones.
Randy Sartin, USA TODAY Sports

61. Utah: Utah didn't bite off more than it could chew in joining the Pac-12, though the record might suggest otherwise: After going 33-6 in its final three years in the Mountain West Conference, Utah has slid to 13-12 in its new league – finishing outside of bowl eligibility last fall, a program-first since the pre-Urban Meyer period. The Utes have moved away from their winning tradition somewhat in recent years, but are looking to get back there on the back of a good offense.
Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

60. Navy: Okay, so the Midshipmen beat Army again last season. There's a word for Navy's run of success in the chase for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: Domination. The Midshipmen have won eight of the past 10 trophies, losing out to Air Force in 2010 and 2011. Last season's sweep – wins against both Army and Air Force – marked the program's eighth double-dip since 2003. But the gap among the armed forces academies might be closing pretty quickly. Just don't tell these Midshipmen.
Danny Wild, USA TODAY Sports

59: Utah State: Utah State came this close to a perfect regular season in 2012, as a missed field goal against BYU sunk their BCS chances. They lost their two games by a combined five points. Then there are the 11 wins, eight coming by 22 or more points. USU was quite easily one of college football's best teams of 2012, one separated from greater glory by only the slimmest of margins.
Douglas C. Pizac, USA TODAY Sports

58. Missouri: The Tigers really struggled in their first season in the SEC, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2004. That's to be expected moving in to the most powerful conference in college football if you don't have a Heisman-winning quarterback, so we can cut Mizzou some slack. They will show improvement this season.
Dak Dillon, USA TODAY Sports

57. West Virginia: West Virginia looks for a vastly improved defense to team with an offense that should remain among the Big 12's best despite changes at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive guard. The Mountaineers started 5-0 in 2012, rising as high as No. 4 in the polls, before losing six of eight to end the season.
Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports

56. Auburn - After a disastrous 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, Auburn finally fired Gene Chizik and brought former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in to head the program. It was an amazing fall for the Tigers, who won a national championship and went undefeated in 2010-11. Now, Auburn must start virtually from scratch, but have brought in some talented recruits that may help ease the transition.
John Reed, USA TODAY Sports

55. Arkansas State - The Red Wolves won the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year, but now have their fourth new head coach in the last four seasons. But ASU is at the front of the Sun Belt conference and should continue to make the postseason and win games once they get there.
Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports

54. Rutgers: Give Rutgers coach Kyle Flood credit for many things, including his nine-win debut as Greg Schiano's replacement, but let's focus on one achievement in particular: Flood and Rutgers have recruited as well as any team in the Big East – and the American Athletic Conference, now that it's 2013. They're not Louisville in terms of quality, but the Scarlet Knights will almost certainly make a bowl game.
Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports

53. North Carolina State: After a seven-win season, the Wolfpack has a new coach in former Northern Illinois head man Dave Doeren. After some good results and bad results over the tenure of Tom O'Brien, the pack is ready to move away from average overall results and try and move to the top of the ACC.
Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports

52. Bowling Green. Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense will remain the best in the Mid-American Conference despite losing two all-conference starters. Bowling Green’s biggest concern is quarterback play, where senior Matt Schilz’s disappointing 2012 season has led coach Dave Clawson to create a quarterback competition. If the offense doesn’t improve, Bowling Green could top out at seven wins and a second-place finish in the East Division.
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51. Arizona: After a tremendous debut, coach Rich Rodriguez will need to cobble together an offense without last year’s starting quarterback and top receiver. While the offensive line and running game remain strong, Arizona’s defense is not to the point where it can slow down many opponents during Pac-12 play. The Wildcats will return to the postseason, but the team might struggle in September as it transitions to a new cast on offense.
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—Offense: One positive of Georgia State entering only its fourth season of football is that the majority of last year's roster remains in the fold – even if one should agree that GSU's overall talent level must increase before the Panthers are to be taken seriously as even a remote challenger in the Sun Belt. That process has already begun, with Miles' first recruiting class in February, and it's one that will remain front and center over the coming months as the new staff identifies and signs players capable of stepping in and earning immediate playing time in 2014 and beyond.

For now, however, the Panthers' offense is working with nine returning starters, led by sophomore quarterback Ben McLane. He should get the nod again despite the coaching change thanks to a relatively successful debut – relatively, considering McLane's utter lack of experience and the way he outplayed his primary competition, fellow sophomore Ronnie Bell. There was some thought that JUCO transfer Clay Chastain's size and arm strength could push him ahead of both McLane and Bell, but Chastain struggled during the spring acclimating himself to Georgia State's system. (Taking snaps from under center and not in shotgun was a simple yet meaningful dilemma for the JUCO addition.)

So while not totally settled, it's safe to pencil McLane into the top spot heading into fall camp, when the quarterback competition will again take center stage. He'll throw to a senior-heavy receiver corps: Albert Wilson (47 receptions for 947 yards), Danny Williams (20 for 227), Darren McCrary and Jordan Giles lead the way, with Wilson immediately one of the top big-play threats in the Sun Belt. Behind this quartet are players like Avery Sweeting, a diminutive sophomore who impressed Miles during the spring with his hands and ability to add explosiveness in the return game. McLane – or Chastain, or Bell – actually has some tools to work with in the passing game. Whether GSU's quarterback can deliver the football downfield remains unsettled.

The offensive line is, to put it lightly, a work in progress. The Panthers might be set at tackle with seniors Ulrick John and Grant King, but the interior is in shambles – both in terms of proven production and adequate depth. It'll take Miles and his staff time to work out the kinks. The issue is more so at guard than center, where senior Michael Davis is a calming presence in the middle of the line. (If he can remain healthy: Davis missed all but three games from 2010-11.) Guard play is a tremendous concern, especially if Harrison Clottey fails to make a full recovery from offseason shoulder surgery and junior Tim Wynn proves not up to the task against the increased level of competition. Several Sun Belt teams are very athletic along the front seven; Georgia State's offensive line will be put to the test.

What the offense as a whole needs to accomplish before Aug. 30 is wholly embracing Miles' pro-style scheme, with strong emphasis on the running game. For the time being, the Panthers lack the sort of offensive potency seen from the Sun Belt's upper crust – teams like Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and Troy, for instance. To overcome a lack of explosiveness in the passing game, it's vital that GSU commit itself to running the football while limiting turnovers. A simple formula, right? It won't be that easy.

—Defense: While the offensive line needs work, the Panthers' defensive front is the team's greatest strength. GSU's defensive star is senior nose tackle Terrance Woodard (59 tackles), an all-conference contender with the size and strength to match up with any interior lineman in the Sun Belt – and a prospect with NFL potential, should he continue to develop over his final season. Woodard will be joined inside by either Nermin Delic, an undersized former Kentucky transfer, or senior Theo Agnew (60 tackles, 8.0 for loss), the team's most experienced defender. What Agnew and Delic give GSU is flexibility, as both could alternate inside and out in certain packages. Sophomore Joe Lockley had a very strong spring and will be the top reserve along the interior. The one question mark up front might surrounds John Kelly's (34 tackles, 4.5 for loss) ability to bring consistent pressure as the Panthers' rush end.

The linebacker corps remains somewhat in flux while the program awaits an NCAA ruling on Tarris Batiste's eligibility, with the Indiana State transfer appealing to play in 2013 rather than sit out a transfer season. If eligible, Batiste's familiarity with Minter's defensive system should buy him a starting role at one of the two outside spots, flanking sophomore Joe Peterson (team-best 65 tackles). Until Batiste's appeal is settled GSU will start Peterson in the middle and Robert Ferguson (47 tackles) – another team leader – and look to Cole Moon, Allen McKay and others to fill the void. In summation: Georgia State's front seven isn't terrible.

And what of the secondary? Well, teams like Louisiana-Lafayette, Troy, Western Kentucky and others should find some success throwing the football. Not that the Panthers don't have a nice cornerback in senior Brent McClendon (47 tackles); he can play, and most teams will shy away from his side to throw toward Demarius Matthews, his running mate at cornerback. The issue is depth at cornerback – depth across the board, actually – and a lack of experience at safety. What GSU desperately needs is a breakthrough season from senior safety Rashad Stewart, a former Louisville transfer with the physical gifts to make a difference along the back end of this defense.

—Special teams: Wilson is a threat on kickoff returns, as evidenced by his 100-yard return against Old Dominion. (Wilson actually scored on that return and a 93-yard reception on back-to-back touches, indicating his game-breaking ability.) Junior Matt Hubbard will again get a workout as the Panthers' punter, but in total, the kicking game is a mess. Miles needs to cull through the team's three options at kicker and make a final decision – not that one separated himself from the others in 2012.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

—Running back: The Panthers' impotent running game is tied directly to the line's inability to get a push – so, in short, GSU won't be able to pound away and control the clock if the offensive front doesn't get its act in gear before Aug. 30. That the Panthers won't have the luxury of running through wide-open lanes increases the value of a back like Gerald Howse, a 220-pound junior with the size to run between the tackles. Even if Howse ends up as GSU's lead back, look for Miles and his staff to also call on experienced reserves like seniors Travis Evans (323 yards on 75 carries) and Parris Lee as change-of-pace options. In all, it wouldn't be a surprise if Miles goes with a by-committee approach as he indoctrinates this program into his particularly run-heavy style of play. Having three qualified backs will be for naught if the line doesn't step up, however.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

—South Alabama: Georgia State plays three FCS teams over its first four weeks. Is going 2-1 against this competition too much to ask? The Panthers round out non-conference play with West Virginia and Alabama – combined margin of defeat: 90 points – before opening Sun Belt action at home against Troy on Oct. 12. The most winnable conference game comes in the finale, when the Panthers welcome another FBS neophyte, South Alabama, to the Georgia Dome.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

—In a nutshell: Well, it's not going to be easy. Were you expecting otherwise? Georgia State enters its FBS debut after going 1-10 as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, a proud FCS league with about as much star power as a Sun Belt also-ran – so the move to this level of competition will come with its lumps, its blows to the gut, its 40-point losses and lowlights, and anyone expecting otherwise needs to understand just how difficult it will be for Miles to get GSU past the three-win mark in 2013.

But he'll get the Panthers' act in gear. In the big picture, the university hired the perfect coach for a floor-to-ceiling rebuilding job, with heavy emphasis on the foundation needed to become a consistent presence in the Sun Belt conversation. It all starts at the bottom: Miles will remake Georgia State's identity, change the culture, demand accountability, remake the schemes and build the roster, but it will take time for the new staff, inexperienced roster and fresh-faced program to gel.

As for this current team: this is going to hurt. The defense lacks the secondary needed to run with the Sun Belt's best offenses, even if the Panthers' defensive line will be a pleasant surprise. The offense still needs to make a decision at quarterback; of even greater concern is the line, and the interior in particular. The running game will sputter unless the starting five makes a substantial improvement. To be blunt, the talent level isn't there to compete even in the Sun Belt, let alone against teams like West Virginia and Alabama during non-conference play. What should you expect? Losses, many of 'em, and a last-place finish in the nation's weakest league. You should also expect improvement as the year wears on and plenty of signals that Georgia State hired the right man to get this program moving forward.

—Dream season: Georgia State sweeps all three FCS games, knocks off Troy in the opener and beats South Alabama in the finale to finish 5-7 in Miles' debut. (If this occurs, Mayor Kasim Reed should make Dec. 2 "Trent Miles Day" in Atlanta.)

—Nightmare season: The Panthers don't win a game. Actually, the Panthers don't win a game and lose all nine games against FBS competition by at least 35 points.

—All-name team nominee: LB Cole Moon.

UP NEXT

—Who is No. 124? This team lost its six games against eventual bowl teams in 2012 by a combined score of 278-75.